This Y-12 Nuclear Safety Engineering (NSE) Manager is responsible for fulfilling an important regulatory function in a dynamic environment. The primary role of the Safety Analysis Engineering (SAE) Department is obtaining federal authorization to conduct nuclear operations at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). These operations, which support the manufacture of nuclear weapon components and naval reactor fuel stock, involve a wide range of activities including chemical processing, metal production, casting, machining, assembly and disassembly, transportation, and storage. The SAE Department is responsible for evaluating accidents that could occur during these nuclear operations (events ranging from process upsets and equipment failures to fires, earthquakes, and floods) and identifying the safety measures that need to be implemented to ensure the workers and public are adequately protected. Those measures range from administrative controls, such as material inventory limits, to engineered controls, such as fire suppression systems.
This position reports to the NSE Director within the Mission Engineering Division, and supervises engineers, technical support personnel, and subcontract employees that comprise one of the three groups within the SAE Department. A successful candidate in this position must have outstanding people skills, with the ability to organize, energize, and lead groups of engineering personnel in addition to closely coordinating with subject matter experts representing Operations, Engineering, and numerous other Y-12 organizations. The NSE Manager needs to be an excellent communicator and is expected to periodically provide the executive leadership of CNS and DOE with verbal briefings or written summaries on technical topics related to the work of the SAE Department.
Specific objectives of the SAE Department include the following:
- Ensuring hazard controls and technical safety requirements are identified that, if properly implemented, will provide an adequate level of protection to both Y-12 employees and the public from the hazards.
- Reviewing proposed activities (including production, maintenance, and construction activities) via rigorous execution of a 10CFR830-compliant Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) Program, the purpose of which is to determine whether federal authorization of those activities is required; and
Evaluating discrepant as-found conditions, operational events/incidents, and other new information and, as warranted, ensuring identification of any operational restrictions or compensatory measures that may be necessary to ensure safety.
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The NSE Manager's primary responsibilities include the following:
- Establishing goals, expectations, and priorities for the SAE Department.
- Maintaining safe working conditions and safety awareness within the SAE Department.
- Verifying requirements associated with Conduct of Engineering, Configuration Management, and Security are implemented throughout the SAE Department.
- Ensuring deliverables of the SAE department (e.g., safety basis documents and USQ Determinations) are completed consistent with (a) CNS procedures, programs, and policies, (b) federal, state, and industry codes and standards, and (c) customer expectations.
- Coordinating all personnel matters within the SAE Department with Human Resources and Legal representatives, and ensuring all personnel issues are addressed in a professional manner; and
- Communicating with the Director of Engineering Technical Operations to both 1) convey staffing needs and 2) provide input on performance reviews, promotions, merit raises, and bonuses.